What you may not know is that Sofia Coppola, apart from being an incredible director, also has bomb taste in music. I mean, she is married to Thomas Mars of Phoenix, after all. The soundtrack to The Bling Ring features M.I.A., Rye Rye, 2 Chainz, Kanye West, Sleigh Bells, Azealia Banks, Frank Ocean and, of course, Phoenix, among talented others.

I sat down with Coppola to discuss her film, the celebrity-obsessed culture we live in, social media, and, of course, the soundtrack! You can read my entire interview with Sofia here.

Be sure to check out The Bling Ring as it hits theaters nationwide this weekend. In the meantime, you can stream the soundtrack below!

We want to share musikk that elicits some sort of reaction that makes you personally connect to the song.

“The lyrics creatively compare the details of a relationship to the waves of the ocean, surfing, & summertime in a way that I’m completely captured by. And while the song takes you through love-sick ailments, you may experience your own “Symptoms” while listening to their serenely, crooning voices…”

The excerpt above was my first reaction, and personal interpretation to the musical quartet, Atlas Genius. After quickly catching the attention of the entire blogosphere through their indie-rock vocals, emotional lyrics, and Australian charm- the band was being hailed by every major record label worldwide.

In June they released their first official EP, Through The Glass, which was followed by creative and passionate music videos, with the latest one showcasing my personal favorite, “Symptoms.”

I had the chance to hop on the phone with Keith, lead vocalist of Atlas Genius, and pick his brain about the meaning behind their music, their upcoming album, and the power behind his Australian accent. With so much talent coming out of Australia right now, these guys seem to be leading the forefront as they make their first official tour through the US and Canada, which you surely won’t want to miss; Get up close and personal at these small venue shows while they last, because it’s only a matter of time until the headlining name in bold is Atlas Genius.

FM: There comes a time in a band’s career when they have the opportunity to perform at an international level; Did you ever think after a solid 3 song EP you’d be swept up in an international tour through the US & Canada?

AG: Normally we would not have thought that…Normally you expect it to be a lot slower build. We kind of knew we lucked out…you would never expect to be touring in America for such a long time so early in a band’s career.

FM: “Trojans” is your lead single and is undoubtedly a fantastic song, but on a personal level “Symptoms” spoke to me the most. I think the ultimate value we as listeners can take away from music, is the ability to connect to the emotions behind the words. What can you tell us about the story behind this song?

AG: I started writing that song when we just had decided to move out of our apartment that we were living in for five years – and it’s a strange time when you’re moving from a place you’ve lived in for quite a long time with a lot of memories and things that have happened. There were a lot of personal things, and relationships that had come and gone – and it was the last of those parts of our lives. As we’re moving out it’s that realization that it’s the last link to some of those times that had passed…It was a big moment for us, and we wanted to pay homage to the house.

FM: I think there is a massive amount of talent coming out of Australia right now – my personal favorite being the fusion of sweet indie sounds with rock, or in some cases, electronic, beats – As artists, do you think there are any barriers between musical genres these days?

AG: I think less and less which is a really good thing. The nice thing about music these days is that there doesn’t seem to be these boundaries; There used to be certain rhythms that only rock bands would play, or certain rhythms that hip hop artists have, and now…it’s a no holds bar…you can a rhythm from any style like reggae or indie or hip hop or wherever – and you mash it up with electronic synthesizers and guitars – it feels like a healthy part of music. And you look back in the 90s when you were only allowed to use guitars, acoustic drums and bass if you wanted to be a rock band…and now you’re pretty much allowed to do what you want. It feels really healthy.

FM: What do you hope people take away from your music?

AG: When they hear the song and it evokes an emotion that we may have been feeling at the time; There’s emotion that went into it, and they’re able to extract that same emotion. There are songs that come out of personal experiences and we hope that people are able to feel the same.

FM: One of the reasons I started Fresh Musikk was to share and promote music that invokes an emotional response from it’s listeners – and makes them feel something – whether it’s happiness, relaxed, stirs up a memory, anything…

Exactly. I write songs about my experiences in my life that I went and turned into that song – but if someone else can take that song and stir up other emotions, that’s great.

FM: What is the best thing that music has allowed you to experience so far?

AG: An amazing thing about being in a band when you start to connect, now we’re able to travel – and we’re properly seeing these countries – not just a big city, but smaller towns when we can actually meet and talk to all these people. That’s an amazing thing that music has allowed us to do.

FM: What city are you most excited to see?

AG: I’m really excited to see New Orleans!

FM: I’ve always wanted to go there as well! But being from Boston, I was hoping you’d say that…

AG: Oh of course, a very close second!

FM: Your full length album is due out to release this fall – what does the album represent for Atlas Genius ?

AG: An album should represent where the band is at; We like to keep developing… and this is a snapshot of where we’re at at the moment. We’re not a band that’s going to put out the same record each time, we’re going to keep evolving.

FM: If you could see any artist perform, past or present, who would it be?

AG: I’d love to see the Beatles play at The Cavern in 1962. That would be amazing.

FM: Do you think your Australian accent is a magical power when it comes to American women?

AG: {Laughs} I personally don’t think it’s a magical power, and I prefer American accents and English accents over an Australian accent. It’s obviously not exotic for me..

But I have a friend from Australia who thinks that his accent is magical; he calls it the weapon. Whenever he meets American women, it works for him!

But personally, I haven’t put it to the test {laughs}.

FM: What does the phrase Fresh Musikk mean to you?

AG: Fresh Musikk to me is music that has some unique thing to it; It might just be rock but there’s that one element – it could be anything – that hasn’t been done. It has an element of uniqueness.

big artist’ fizzles into a one-hit-wonder and subpar live performer, the athlete fails a drug test and falls into a slump, and the boy’s smile was shining for three other biddies on the side.

For those reasons alone, I use my words wisely on Fresh Musikk. Aside from exclusively only posting music that I enjoy, I only reserve big claims for artists I believe in; And as I’ve said before, Terence Ryan is one of them.

Lucky for him, the Boston (suburb) native can do it all: create, write, produce, sing, rap, etc… And as he continues to develop and grow his skills, some may shine more than the others, and allow him to achieve the recognition he deserves.

Fresh Musikk is excited to release it’s second interview with the newcomer as we discuss music blogs, his love for Emmy Rossum, and of course the effect that his music can have on it’s listeners…

Terence was composed, passionate, and spoke with a confident deliverance that seemed so far beyond his years; Dive on in, and get a taste of Terence in his hometown of Boston – with the city skyline, planes overhead, and all…

I think it’s safe to say that Smarterchild and I are boys – In the most non-literal sense considering I’m a girl – but nonetheless, we share viagra from canada an affinity for sarcasm & humor, and while open to all genres, have a slight weakness for pop music.

I first stumbled upon Smarterchild, an up & coming producer out of New York, when I saw his “LA Lights” music video; The influx of sounds coupled with the stimulating & gritty NYC visuals caught my immediate attention as he seemed to incorporate a swirl of emotional responses through his remix.

Fresh Musikk caught up with Rick Markowitz, aka Smarterchild, and discussed his upcoming releases, his opinion of the electronic & dance music scene, Kate Upton, and why Timberlake is actually the better ‘Justin’ – so read on, and don’t miss the bonus question at the end!

1. I’m hoping for a good story behind the name “SmarterChild” – Why did you choose that name?

For starters, I’d like to establish the fact that I’ve had some of the worst artist/band names in the past. Between my high school bands and other producer “aliases” (I use that word lightly because my music was fucking terrible), I’ve had my fair share of goofy gimmicky names

I got the idea for SmarterChild from the AIM robot that everybody would talk to back in grade school. It was like the original Siri, but cooler because it was in the early 2000’s before iPhone or any of that. I thought it would be dope to take the nostalgia of the buddy icon/buddy list/livejournal days and revive it in an electronic music context. People my age are already familiar with the name, so I figured that even if they’ve never heard my tracks they’d be more likely to click a link based on curiosity.

2. I first was introduced to your production skills to your song, “LA Lights”, and since then you have put out additional remixes, as well as your first all original track, “Hollywood”; Is there a song that stands out the most for you?

Most of my songs stand out for different reasons really, but I must say in terms of remixes “LA Lights” is probably my favorite. The video Colin did really made it for me, documenting all of my best friends during the weekend of Fashion’s Night Out. I have such crazy feelings for this past year, and I’m sure that the “LA Lights” video is going to be something that I’m going to keep looking back on when I’m older.

This all being said, the “Ass Back Home “remix I did with Oxymorrons is my biggest track to date so I can’t forget it. The remix got so much love from Gym Class Heroes and their fans, I never expected it to do as well as it did. I would blast their CD, As Cruel as School Children, all the time when I was in high school. It’s so fucking cool to see the band posting my shit on their Facebook and Twitter. I even got to hang out with them on their most recent college tour.

3. Much of your music characteristically includes house & dubstep influences, a scene that has been massively present abroad for years, but has only recently become more mainstream in America. It has quickly captured today’s youth, but do you think our generation can appreciate the EDM scene for the music, or are Americans transforming it into strictly a drug and party scene?

I’m a pop kid first and foremost so it’s hard to really give this opinion without sounding bias, but I see a clear difference between “electronic music” and “EDM.” I see electronic music as dope songs using synths and sampling techniques, ranging from the Ed Banger guys to kids like College and Linus Loves. On the other hand, EDM music is the stalest of stale. Every song starts out with a minute long drum intro into some buildup into a loud part that everyone refers to as “the drop” (Oh my god this parts louder than the previous part, I think it’s the drop!). I hate it. Even the power players of EDM just bandwagon off of eachother, huge DJ’s that would try to recreate the heavy sounds of Justice and Skrillex last year, now rip off Avicii and his huge trance sounds. The “standard EDM fan” is even dumber, spending $400 to wear neon clothing in fields and listen to basically the same song on repeat for three days as these star DJ’s wave their hands in the air. That’s not to say that I hate on the production or anything, I just feel that EDM is a subset of electronic music that’s reserved for stale producers/DJ’s and fans that don’t know what else is out there. Brenton Duvall said it perfectly in an interview: This shit’s going to be like disco in twenty years. People are going to be embarrassed of it. Not of the music necessarily, but of the culture that grew as a result.

4. There are a lot of standout up and coming musicians coming out of Brooklyn like yourself, OnCue, Party Supplies, Action Bronson, and more; Out of all of you, who has the best chance of hooking up with resident ‘It Girl’, Kate Upton?

Felix Snow. If you haven’t heard of him you have to look him up. Girls sweat when they get near him. He’s produced tracks for Shaggy and Eve. He’s a rockstar. He’s fluent in every language. He makes an incredible grilled cheese sandwich. He’s white and celebrates Kwanzaa. He’s the most humble badass I know and I’d be genuinely surprised if I didn’t walk in on him and Kate Upton within the next year or so.

5. Aside from who’s got the best game with Kate – what other up and coming artists do you respect and hope to work with in the future?

I’d love to do a track with Chris Brown. I think his voice is nuts over something really pretty. I’m also loving Azealia Banks as of recent as well. And of course, my all time favorite producer is Diplo. The dude is so incredibly diverse, he can kill Major Lazer tracks like Original Don and then move right to awesome pop songs like Usher’s Climax.

6. We’re ready for you to drop some summer heat, when can we expect new music? And will there be a mixtape or full-length project in the future?

Summer heat’s definitely right around the bend. I have a bunch of collabo’s and remixes that are just about ready to come out. For one, I was asked to contribute to Hoodie Allen’s All American remix album, so definitely look for my remix of Small Town on there. I’ve also been working with Skizzy Mars on a song that will likely be on his upcoming mixtape, something super dancy and just all around feel-good. I’m finishing up a second original track under my own name as well, a groovy yet massive song featuring the vocals from my partner in crime, Gallant.

For the most part though I’ve really been focusing on producing more mainstream pop tracks. I’ve done sessions for most of the labels at this point and have some dope things pending (can’t really announce yet because nothing’s set in stone) but that’s definitely where most of my time has been spent. This summer’s gonna be huge for me!

In terms of big projects/mixtapes/albums, I’m really much more interested in producing for other people rather than coming out with stuff in my own name. I’m not really into DJing or the whole being an artist thing. However, I’ve always wanted to put together a remix EP just doing classic rock and roll songs and making them super in your face. Shit like Zeppelin, The Who, Black Sabbath, whatever. I’m also trying to convince Brenton to do a joke remix album with me. Our single is going to our reverse edit of Avicii’s “Levels in Reverse” remix. We’re calling it “Levels in Reverse, in Reverse.” Definitely be on the lookout for that.

7. If you could see one person in concert, dead or alive, who would it be?

Rage Against The Machine. It’s so cool what they can do with three instruments alone. The shit they brought with just drums, bass, and guitar is heavier, groovier, and more rock and roll than anything EDM has done to date. I would remix every one of their songs if I could.

8. Best Justin: Bieber or Timberlake?

Timberlake, although Bieber is dope too. Timberlake just has some of the smoothest shit in the world, and kills it in whatever he does from music to acting to whatever. Hell, I have an online membership to his home accessories company. Dedication, #baybeee!

9. Character defining question: What are your feelings on Shark Week?

Shark Week < USA’s marathon of Law And Order SVU. My friend Haley’s terribly afraid of sharks and brought her to a Shark Week party once. They turned the TV on, she got scared, and it was funny. Cool story bro. Would really love if there was a Giraffe Week. Giraffe’s are super underrated.

10. If you were stranded on a desert island and could have one song on your iPod, one celebrity sidekick, and one other object, what would you choose?

I actually only have one song on my iPod, and that’s Stupid Hoe by Nicki Minaj. That would get mad old though if I was actually stranded on a desert island. Under those circumstances, I’d probably choose What Goes Around / Comes Around by JT. It’s got like two parts, so definitely a bang for my buck. In terms of celebrity sidekicks, I’d bring a Mean Girls era Lindsay Lohan. Object would be a light saber. Hands down.

BONUS Question: What does Fresh Musikk mean to you?

Hmm, to me Fresh Musikk is a song that comes as a breath of fresh air and reminds you why you love music in the first place. It’s a feel good track like Train’s “Hey Soul Sister” coming out when the radio is nothing but dance smash’s about bottles and clubs. It’s Andrew WK beating his face into a bloody mess and singing about “Partying Hard” to show that rock and roll does still exist in the 2000’s. Or maybe even Madeon’s new track Finale- proof that you don’t need to just glitch and wobble to make a great electronic song. I think fresh musikk is all about doing something new that survives amidst the clutter, taking influences of others yet reinventing it your own way. It’s the shit that will be remembered thirty years from now.

A big thank you to Rick for doing this interview with us! Next time we expect you to say that Shark Week is actually the best week of the year…But we’ll try not to hold it against you. Especially since the bonus question could not have been answered more perfectly.

“..Some people will feel motivated, some depressed, some nostalgic. But as long as you know how to feel something, our music

is for you.” ~ The Neighbourhood

Fresh Musikk thrives on the basis that music has the ability to connect, define, reflect, and explore one’s emotions. Hell – that’s the entire reason we started this music blog, so that we could introduce new music that invokes a natural, emotional response from its listeners.

As I rolled over to check my email Saturday morning, I was jolted awake from my drunken stupor as I read the responses to my interview questions from The Neighbourhood; I felt the passion, and as Jesse gracefully wrote the words that every true music fan wants to hear, I knew my love for the SoCal indie group had just grown exponentially.

The Neighbourhood has been on a whirlwind, media rollercoaster ride these past few months; They gained an incredible amount of attention for their second single, “Sweater Weather”, followed by their debut EP, I’m Sorry. Their cool style, and SoCal vibe are reflected in the indie pop music which has a healthy dose of melancholy sweetness; The lyrics reflect everyone’s inner doubts about relationships, the struggle to understand swirling feelings, and the ability to accept life’s truths…

The 5 piece band is being touted as the best, new indie pop group of 2012, and after one listen you will understand why. Fresh Musikk had the chance to interview The Neighbourhood and explore their creative inspirations, their plans for new music and tours, and who has the best chance of marrying Jennifer Aniston. Read on and be inspired…

Fresh Musikk Interview with The Neighbourhood

1. Very few musicians and bands hit the nail on the head on their very first try, but that’s exactly what The Neighbourhood did, first with “Female Robbery”, and then with “Sweater Weather”; Did you expect everything to take off so quickly?

I don’t think anyone could necessarily expect things to take off as fast as they did for us, but we definitely knew we had something special right away. The reaction from the people just solidified it and made it real.

2. “Sweater Weather” is still on repeat in my iTunes, and clearly has the ability to connect to people on a deeper level; Where did you grab inspiration from while writing the song, and subsequently when developing the stunning visuals for the music video?

I write all my lyrics based off of whatever is floating around in my head. Everything is pretty spontaneous and organically just comes out. The cool part about my lyrics, and our music as a band is that we always have the same type of vision for where a song should go, musically & visually. We work with a couple of our closest friends to make the vidoes and they always have the same mindset as the rest of us. The vision is always clear and cohesive between all of us.

3. Last week you released your first EP, I’m Sorry, which helped to clearly define your ‘dark, indie pop’ sound in a collective manner, what do you hope your fans take away from the music?

The fact that people are responding at all is a gorgeous thing. But the fact that it is so much positive feedback is the coolest thing ever. We just want people to take it for what it is.. good songs that make you feel a certain way. Some people will feel motivated, some depressed, some nostalgic. But as long as you know how to feel something, our music is for you.

4. I’ve seen The Neighbourhood posted about on music blogs, lifestyle sites, fashion blogs, and more – so now that you’re on your way to taking over the blogosphere, what’s in store for the rest of 2012? Tours, music videos, an album?

Nailed it right on the head. Also, a lot of merchandise. That is really gonna build this movement. That is a major next step.

5. Will the upcoming album have a similar vibe as the EP, or will you take a different creative approach?

Hmm.. I guess we’ll find out right? Haha all I can say is that we are going to continue to write the songs the same way we have been writing them. It’s up to you to decide whether you think we ‘went somewhere else’ or I suppose.

6. Describe The Neighbourhood in five words.

Black, White, Rad, Hustle, Substance.

7. If you could see anyone in concert, dead or alive, who would it be?

The Beatles, duh?

8. NorCal or SoCal?

SoCal dude!

9. Out of all of you, who would have the best shot at marrying America’s Sweetheart, Jennifer Aniston?

Shit, probably Mikey. He’s america’s sweetheart himself haha.

10. Collectively, if you were stuck on a desert island and could have one song on your iPod, one celebrity sidekick, and one other object, what would you choose?

Dude this is a cool question haha! Hmm… One song? I don’t think it’s been written yet (but we’re working on it). As for celebrity sidekick (and i hope you’re not referring to the out dated t-mobile phone) I would have to say probably some sort of female because then we can reproduce and it’ll be less lonely. Probably Katy Perry? She’s funny and weird and cool and what not. That’d be entertaining. And one object, an iPhone for sure. or a computer with Logic on it… can i charge this object? haha shit I don’t know..

It’s only April and Terence Ryan has already had a big year; He came out swinging with “Alan’s Right” which introduced his impressive, mature sound, and quite literally blew every bloggers mind. His Skeleton EP solidified his status as someone to look out for, and no doubt was put on loop in many people’s iTunes.

Fresh Musikk had the chance to interview Terence and explore his creative inspirations, the Skeleton EP, what’s in store for 2012, and more; Check it out below!

1. You started off 2012 in a major way with the initial release of “Alan’s Right”, followed by your impressive Skeleton EP; Do you consider those events a turning point in your musical career? Did you expect to get so much immediate support from the blogs?

Definitely. “Alan’s Right” was my first official video to ever hit the public, so that was a huge turning point for me. Actually seeing myself in action for the first time posted up on some cool sites and shit was crazy…especially knowing that thousands of other people were seeing it too. The support from all the blogs was awesome…everyone had nothing but good things to say for the video and the Skeleton EP as well…its a great feeling knowing that all my hard work is starting to get recognized and that people actually enjoy listening to my music.

2. I thought the entire EP was fantastic, but “Alan’s Right” coupled with the captivating visuals really stuck with me; What led to the creation of that song, and also how did you and Ryan Sheetz decide what visual storyline would best reflect the track?

I came across that speech by Alan Watts that’s included in the beginning and must have listened to it like 20 times in a row. So fuckin inspirational…thought it would be fuckin tight idea for an intro to a song/project and I was never gonna say it better so I used his voice, sampled the piano chords Goldmund had playing, then added all my own synths, drums, and vocals…

My boy Sheetz is the visual guy…that kid just knows what looks good on camera, and if it doesn’t, he’ll make it look good. We just really wanted to capture me in my natural environment, where I spend most of my time and he did just that with some amazing cinematography. Funny fact about the story line, the night him and the crew came down we were all sitting around brainstorming over drinks and Sheetz half kidding was like “what are you doing with that old ass organ in your room?….we should smash that shit….with an axe”. The next day we did.

3. What was your favorite song off the EP and why?

I think my favorite song has to be Skeleton because its my most diverse track on the project. Has a little bit of indie rock, rapping, singing, electronic, even some tribal or Irish sounding type stuff all mashed into one tune…plus the original Yeah Yeah Yeah’s song is a classic.

4. What else can we expect from you in 2012? New music? More videos? Shows?

Definitely all three…been making a TON of original music, planning videos and preparing for shows. COMING SOON…

5. The Boston music scene has changed significantly in the last few years, with your name being quickly added to the list; Do you think this city could become a musical hub like NYC & LA once again?

I make music for all people…I think if people in Boston or anywhere do that well, then that city can become a hub.

6. If you could see one person in concert – dead or alive – who would it be?

Bradley Nowell or Kurt Cobain probably? I don’t know, would have to think about that one longer, so many great artists have inspired me.

7. Who would your dream collaboration be with?

Coldplay, Frank Ocean, Bon Iver, Cudi

8. North shore or South shore? Favorite beach?

South Shore…and gonna have to go with Brant Rock in Marshfield

9. If you were stuck on a desert island with one song on your iPod, one celebrity sidekick, and one other object, what would you choose?

The Escapist by Coldplay, Emmy Rossum, and a boat to take my chances.

10. And most importantly, do you think the Sox have a fighting chance this year?

To be honest, I’m not following this year… maybe I’ll go to a game or two for some heckling, Fenway franks, and a few summer ales.

Million thanks for all the support and interest Kristyn!

It’s obvious that Terence has set clear goals for himself and has the drive, determination, and talent to achieve them; FM is a big supporter and is excited to see what’s in store for this up and comer. Thank you to Nick “Stoveman” Santiago of 3|4 for setting up the interview, and of course thank you to Terence as well!

“I get kids all the time saying… I feel like I know you through the music, and that’s really all I can ask for; When I set out to do this stuff, I wanted to give me, not some false representation”

Within five minutes of meeting Cuey, I knew I was going to like him; His honesty, genuinity, and artistic passion was obvious right from the start – and in an industry filled with egos and bullsh*t, I never once doubted the sincerity behind his words.

If you are one of the good ones, you have already discovered Oncue’s music and his incredible talent of creating raw and honest hip hop music, with a healthy does of indie flavor; With multiple mixtapes under his belt, and the wild success of his most recent project, Can’t Wait, Cuey has captured the attention and people’s heaphones in an all encompassing manner.

Not only can the kid spit, but he can write, sing, produce, design, and more; While I watched him open for The Dean’s List at Brighton Music Hall in Boston, I discovered that on top of all that, he also has a stage presence that leaves a lasting impression – a presence that even many established artists are yet to achieve. Any music lover can tell that Cuey becomes enveloped in the beat of the song, wrapped up in the lyrics he’s singing, and transported to what I imagine to be his ‘happy place’ – on stage, performing, & sharing his story hoping his fans can relate. But the truly impressive part, is that his intense passion is reflected back into the audience; So much so, that there were times when I stood there simply just letting the music soak in.

I was lucky enough to get the chance to talk with Cuey after the show, in which we discussed the incredible success of Can’t Wait, how he hopes to connect with his fans, and what more we can expect from him in 2012; And if my previous ramblings haven’t convinced you enough, know that I truly believe that 2012 will set Cuey up for major happenings in his career, and myself and the entire FM family wish him the best.